Near or Far, Together or Apart
by princessmelia
Summary: Merlin doesn't return to Camelot until ten years later. And then he has over a thousand years to wait until he can be reunited with his friends. But not all is lost. This is a story of how Merlin deals with his time alone and his time together with and without his friends over the years.


Gwen, Percival and Leon were retiring in the royal chambers one afternoon. They were all tired and worn; Gwen from a stressful council meeting and Percival and Leon from training the young recruits. Being the head of the army, Leon had handled his responsibilities well, especially with the help of Percival as his second-in-command. The three had grown closer over the past decade after the passing of their friends. Though they couldn't always be together, they made it a priority to meet up at least once a week.

They were in the middle of discussing the matter of Percival's new lady friend (though it was more like teasing) when a young knight- Sir Matthew- burst into the chambers. Before any of the three could speak or question the young man, he panted out, "We saw him."

That was enough to make all of them spring into action. They stood and the queen asked, "Where?"

"Just out in the forest. Sir Edward saw him first and confirmed that it was him."

"The Forest of Ascetir?" Leon questioned. When the knight nodded, Leon commented, "That's closer than he's ever been before. If we ride out now…"

"We could see him," Gwen finished. "Sir Matthew," she commanded, turning to the boy, "find some servants to ready three horses."

"Right away, your majesty," the young knight said with a bow before fleeing the room.

The trio stood there silently, the weight of what they might see that day settling onto their shoulders. Percival broke the silence first. "I can't believe we could actually see-"

"Don't," Gwen cut him off hurriedly. "Don't say it aloud. I don't want to curse it. And we shouldn't get our hopes up; we've almost seen him before. Nothing will make this time any different. He could still get away before we catch up to him."

"But the Forest of Ascetir?" Leon questioned. "It's almost like he's asking for us to find him."

"I hope he feels that way too," Gwen replied. She sighed wearily and felt the small, sad smile that was now so familiar grace her face. "You two go get ready; I'll be down in a few moments." The queen ushered the two knights out of her room and began to quickly change into her riding close, her heart stammering at the thought of seeing her best friend after ten years.

She missed him, almost as much as she missed Arthur. She missed Merlin's smile, missed the way he could light up the room with a joke or laugh. And along with that, she was upset with him. He should have come back to Camelot- come back home- after all these years. He was alive. She shouldn't have to miss him so much- not when there were others that she could truly only mourn for. But she hadn't seen him since the day she left for the Battle of Camlaan.

The queen tried to blink back the tears in her eyes, but was unsuccessful as a few of her tears escaped. If her hopes were crushed again, she wasn't sure her heart could take it.

As the trio rode through the forest to where Sir Edward said he had last seen Merlin, they remained silent. None of them spoke, whether out of fear that their speech would somehow frighten Merlin off or because they were too lost in their own thoughts to start a conversation was unknown. Perhaps a bit of both.

Gwen's thoughts had turned from hopeful, to sorrowful, to a surprising anger. Merlin had been gone from her life for ten years now. How dare he leave her when she needed him most? And when she knew he would need her as well? Though they had both pretended otherwise, the two men who held the most precious spots in Gwen's heart cared about each other like brothers. Merlin would have been devastated after Arthur's death. Why did he not come back to his family and friends?

Just then, they crested over a small hill in the woods. Leon saw him first, and held up his hand for the others to stop riding. There, just off the path of the road, was a man. He had his back to them, but it was Merlin. They would recognize him anywhere. It was his dark mop of hair, his dirty brown jacket and pants and those ridiculous boots Gwen had always teased him about.

"Merlin!" Gwen called out, fearful of what he would do. The man tensed, but didn't turn around. But nor did he run. A good sign.

Gwen slowly got off her horse, but held up her hand when the two knights tried to follow her. She wanted them to stay mounted in case Merlin decided to bolt.

Cautiously, she made her way down the hill toward Merlin. She stopped about twenty feet away, not wanting to startle him into running.

"Merlin?" she called out gently. Still, he didn't move to face her. And suddenly, all of her buried frustration and rage boiled to the surface.

"How dare you?" she challenged, surprised by the forcefulness in her voice. She'd kept her emotions in check for so long, for the court and for the people, but she felt them all venting out of her now. "How dare you leave me, leave all of us, alone and wondering for_ ten years_? What gave you the right to leave us like that?

"No word as to where you were, whether or not you were alive. A message to Gaius informing us that Arthur had passed, but no story as to how. How do you think that made me feel, Merlin?" The tears were starting to pour down her face, hot and wet. "I was worried sick about you, about both of you! You were supposed to bring him home safe!"

When Merlin remained silent and still turned away, Gwen continued on. "And when I lifted the ban on magic, I thought you would return. I had it pronounced throughout the kingdom. I just wanted- needed you at home by my side. I needed my best friend! I did it for you, Merlin. I trusted you!

"And what about the games? I know it was you, the mysterious sorcerer that would stop the random attacks on Camelot and be gone before anyone could talk to him. Why? Why not come live in the palace? I would have cared for you, I still would. We all missed you so much.

Gwen could feel the hot anger deserting her, leaving her cold and hollow inside. "Gaius is dead, you know." She saw Merlin cringe, but plunged on. "It happened a few years ago. He waited for you, every day. If you didn't want to come home for me, you could have at least come home for him.

"It was painless, though. He died in his sleep. Old age. You could have been our new physician, Merlin. But no," and Gwen was surprised to find the tears had returned to her voice. "You had to stay away. For _ten years_." And still, Merlin did not response. "Answer me!" she shouted.

Finally, it seemed her best friend was ready to listen to her. He began to turn and Gwen found herself gasping as she looked at his face. She heard the knights shift in their saddles behind her, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from Merlin to see if they had moved off their horses or had stayed put.

It was Merlin, of that she was certain. He looked the same as always. It was his same piercing blue eyes, his same pale skin, and those cheekbones she had fallen forso long ago. But that was it: he looked _exactly the same_ as Gwen had remembered him. It was like he hadn't aged a single day since the last time she had seen him.

Fresh tears streaked his face, but Merlin's expression was soft as he moved toward Gwen. She took another step back, but then forced herself to stay still. It was Merlin, after all, not some mirage or trick. Of that, she was certain.

"Gwen, I," but Merlin looked like he was at a loss for words. "I wanted to come back, but I couldn't bring myself too. Maybe it was selfish- no, it was definitely selfish- but I couldn't stop myself."

Gwen only continued to stare as he approached, close enough for her to reach out and touch. And before she knew what was happening, her hand was on Merlin's cheeks, her thumb wiping at his tears. He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. "What happened to you?" she questioned at a whisper. Merlin sighed, and opened his eyes once more. They were the same as always- a dazzling blue, so like Arthur's- but they were full of torment, of a sorrow so deep and aged that Gwen could hardly believe the eyes were Merlin's.

"I stopped aging the day Arthur died," Merlin answered in response to her question.

"Stopped?" she questioned. Curiosity, confusion, and concern warred for a place on her expression.

Merlin nodded solemnly. "That's another reason why I was hesitant to return. I'm destined to serve Arthur: in the past, the present, and the future."

"The future? What do you mean?"

"Arthur is the Once and Future King. He will rise again." Gwen took a step backward, breaking the contact between the two of them.

"If this is some kind of sick joke, I want no part of it." She felt queasy. Gwen wasn't sure whether to weep of joy or anguish. To give her such hope seemedlike a cruel game Morgana would have played.

"I know it sounds crazy, Gwen, but when have our lives ever been normal?" Merlin moved closer, a small smile on his lips. "I don't know when, but he will return. It could be tomorrow, it could be a thousand years from now."

"A thousand…" Gwen trailed off, lost in thoughts. If Arthur was to return, would she too? And what of the knights? Morgana? And what about… "Oh, Merlin," she whispered as she realized what he was implying by his words. If Merlin had stopped aging and was destined to always serve Arthur, that meant he would live until he returned. Maybe as long as a thousand years, all on his own. "I'm so sorry." She gathered her friend into a hug and clung to him like she hadn't in years. She buried her face in his neck, and inhaled the smell unique to him and him alone.

She felt as Merlin's arms tightened around her and his face pressed against her hair. "I'm sorry, Gwen," he mumbled and she felt the vibrations of his voice through his chest.

"I know. It's alright," she responded.

"I shouldn't have left," he replied, shaking his head. "I should have come back and explained everything right away. Not ten years later."

"At least you came at all." She pulled back but kept her hand on his shoulders, as if afraid she would lose him again if she let go. "Now I have a selfish request."

"What?" he asked with a curious look in his eyes.

"Stay. Come back to Camelot and stay until the end." They both knew what she meant by the end. The end of her. When she would die and join Arthur in Avalon while Merlin would continue to live in the world all alone.

He smiled at her and replied, "It would be my pleasure. But how will we explain this?" he asked, gesturing to his face.

"We won't have to." When Merlin only continued to stare, Gwen let out a bright peal of laughter. "You are aware that you have magic, right? Just use a disguise unless you're around me, Percival, or Leon. We'll keep you a secret," she promised with a wink.

"Well, I am good at keeping secrets," he replied with a mischievous grin.

"Come on," she said, grabbing his hand and leading him up to the horses, "I know two knights that are just dying to see you again."

As the pair of former servants made reached where the two knights had dismounted, there was much hugging and tears of joy. Gwen and Merlin explained what had happened and the two men agreed with them that it would be best to keep Merlin a secret, as well as the prophecy. The people had only just stopped mourning the loss of their beloved king. A hope and promise such as the one Merlin brought might raise unwanted emotions from the people.

The four rode back to Camelot, Merlin already in disguise and riding with Leon. Merlin held true to his promise and stayed in Camelot until the very end. In the years between, he divided his time between helping Gwen rule and recounting his tales and adventures to the remaining members of the Round Table.

He started at the end, on that first night, recounting how he had slain Morgana and tried everything in his power to save Arthur. The pain was still raw for all four of them, and there were many tears and comforting hugs that night. It was the first time Merlin had told the story and aloud and was surprised at how often he choked up during the story.

After that first night, however, the stories got better. Some were sad or bittersweet, but most were eye opening to the knights and queen. All the odd and impossible times Arthur and Merlin had escaped with their lives were suddenly explained.

Gwen had heard some of these stories from Gaius before he had passed, but they held so much more meaning coming from Merlin. The emotions he felt were clearly written on his face and Gwen could almost picture herself there with him fighting witches, commanding dragons, and saving Camelot again and again.

Years later, Gwen would sometimes look at Merlin and envy his youthful face and energy. But then she would look into his eyes and instantly regret the thought. Having already been through so much, his eyes told the sorrow of a man who knew much pain and knew how much more could liebefore him.

One day, Gwen walked into her chambers to find Merlin staring into the flames of her fire. He appeared to be in deep thought, so Gwen decided not to bother him, he would speak when and if he was ready. About an hour later, his voice broke the silence.

"I visited him once."

"Who?" Gwen asked, sitting across from Merlin near the fire.

"Gaius. A month or two after the battle."

"He never told me."

Merlin smiled slightly. "I asked him not to. I just wanted to make sure I got to say goodbye to him, in case I wasn't around when he passed." Merlin looked down. "When he saw me, he started crying and smiling, clapping me on the back and calling me his boy, just like always. It nearly broke my heart." His voice caught on the last word and he took a few moments to gather himself once more.

"I didn't tell him much. Just that I was still alive and that I wouldn't be staying. He tried to convince me to, but my mind was already made up. I didn't want to have to explain the prophecy and the immortality. But he kept his promise. My favorite meal was waiting." Merlin smiled fondly at the memory.

"I remember that."

When Merlin looked up at her with a curious expression, she explained. "I mean the fact that he stopped making your favorite meal every night. I asked him about it, but he said that he didn't need to make it anymore. I thought he'd given up on you ever coming back. I think I stopped believing as well, shortly after that.

"But then you stopped that magical creature on Camelot's border and we all realized that you must be out there, still, somewhere, and a little bit of that hope returned to me." She reached over and grabbed Merlin's hand. They both ignored how old and weathered Gwen's was in comparison to Merlin's young hand.

"I'm proud of you, Gwen," Merlin said after some moments of silent. "You brought magic back, you united Albion once more."

"I couldn't have done it without you. Or Arthur. You two are the reason I pressed on and carried out your dreams." She squeezed his hand gently.

"But really, Gwen, you were brilliant. I remember hearing about you inviting all of the kingdoms together for the first time and feeling nothing but pride."

Gwen smiled at the thought. "Oh yes, that first meeting. Did you know it was only women in attendance? Myself, Princess Mithian, Queen Annis, Queen Elena, and Princess Vivian. We all gathered in the Great Hall on the first day. I remember it well. I was still in mourning for Arthur but was trying to stay composed during the welcoming ceremonies." She laughed at the memory. "I think I was more of a mess than I convinced myself I was.

"All of them offered their condolences and I realized that Arthur had touched all of them in some way. Annis was very formal, dignified as she always was, and mentioned it only briefly. I was most worried about Vivian, but it seems Arthur's passing broke the spell and she was herself once again. She told me she came in her father's place in order to express her regret and sorrow over the way she had acted and for Arthur's passing. Elena, too, offered her regrets. She and Arthur had become good friends over the years.

"But it was Mithian that surprised me the most. She came up to me after everyone had left and embraced me. I was surprised at first, but soon hugged her back." Gwen smiled at the memory. "She was the first person to tell me it was alright to cry if I wanted to. I think she truly understood what I was going through. Or at least, better than most. She understood the love Arthur and I had and respected it."

"Mithian's a good woman," Merlin interjected. Gwen nodded and sighed. "It's odd to think that we all rule our own kingdoms now. We all just used to be children." She shook her head slowly. "Strange that when we are young we have such dreams of what we will do when we grow older, but once we get there, all we want to do is go back to dreaming."

"But you didn't just dream it, Gwen," Merlin said softly. "You made it all come true."

Gwen smiled at her best friend. "I couldn't have done it alone." They stood and embraced, the hug lasting longer than either of them planned.

Merlin's last years in Camelot passed relatively uneventful. The kingdom flourished under Gwen's rule and the people were happy. She died peacefully, in her sleep, and Merlin left the next day. He didn't know where he would go, probably back to the Lake of Avalon and wait.

He hoped he wouldn't have to wait a thousand years for Arthur, but he knew he would if he had to. He would do anything for Arthur.

As the years passed, Merlin found his memory- and with it his mood- changing from day to day. Some days, Arthur's face was clear in his mind like he had only seen him yesterday. All of the mannersims, the prattish ways of his king playing over in his mind. Other days it became hard to recall his face or his voice. It was days like that when Merlin would feel the tears build in his eyes, and he would do nothing all day, only feel the nostalgia building in his chest.

And some days he felt so desperate for the loneliness to end that he would dive straight into the lake, praying to join Arthur and his friends, no matter what the cost. But moments before he should have passed out, something would force him back to the shore. Afterward, he would always feel stupid and shamed, but he would sit there and stare out over the lake, wondering how much longer he would have to wait.

Other times, Merlin would wonder "what if". "What if" is a dangerous thought, as Merlin found out during his time alone over the years. He would analyze what he could have done differently, how he could have saved Arthur. Been faster, stronger, cleverer. On those days, he would determine that waiting was his penance for failing Arthur.

But most days were just waiting. Merlin built a house near the lake, away from towns or villages. He found himself slipping into his old man disguise whenever he had to converse with others. It was easier that way. People didn't bother or question an old man. He couldn't go to the same place for long, or people grew suspicious.

But the suspicions were never as bad as they were during the time of the witch trials. Merlin kept on the fringes of society, but he would hear of the mad hysteria that had taken over the country. He had been alive a long time by then, and understood that keeping himself hidden was more important than ever, but he couldn't help but save a few of the condemned. Some possessed magic, but most were innocent. In fact, most of the people accused of witchcraft were.

Over the years, Merlin had seen magic users grow less in numbers. Especially after the trials, the people who practiced grew less and less. Some were born with the power to wield, but were either too afraid or too ignorant to use it.

Which is why Merlin agreed to help four magic users start a special school for their kind. He left them books full of all he knew about magic and hoped that they would keep the magic alive for generations to come. He helped them build the school where Camelot had once stood and personally cast the spells that would keep the school safe.

They asked him to teach, but he denied the chance. He needed to stay by the lake in case Arthur returned, though he didn't explain that. He only left in the middle of the night, never to be heard from again.

Every time a tragedy or travesty would attack the country, Merlin would pray that Arthur would be brought back, but each time he was let down. Sometimes, though he felt awful about it afterwards, he would wish that Albion would be put in danger, just so that Arthur would return. But it never happened.

It was difficult, being more powerful than any man in the world and having to live like a shadow. Merlin would help who he could, whether through his skills as a physician or a sorcerer, but he mostly kept to himself, waiting for when his destiny would call upon him once again.

He waited with baited breath for the day he could see his best friend once more, alive and breathing.

One day he grew restless and impatient, more than normal. He decided it was time he pay a visit to the Crystal Cave and get some answers.

He made his way to the cave, it was still in a part of the forest without roads or houses, something Merlin suspected had to do with the magic of the place. He approached the mouth of the cave and made his way to the center, the very place magic had begun.

He was surprised to find that his old clothes were back. He'd tucked them away in an old trunk years ago, but he hadn't worn them in so long. He smiled at the familiar feeling.

When he looked back up, he saw a sight that nearly stopped his heart. A face more familiar than his own looked back at him, glowing a faint blue, but just as Merlin remembered. "Arthur," he breathed out. The king was wearing his old chainmail and armour, looking as regal as he ever had.

"Hello,old friend."

"Hello." Now that Merlin was there, actually talking to Arthur, he didn't know what to say. He just went with the first thing that popped into his head. "I've missed you."

"As have I."

Merlin felt tears gather in his eyes and he blinked them away quickly. No need to give Arthur a reason to call him a girl. "When will you be coming back?" he asked timidly.

Arthur sighed and deflated at his question. "I don't know, Merlin."

"It's been over a thousand years!" Merlin shouted. "A thousand years on my own." He stepped closer to the spirit of his best friend. "Do you have any idea how lonely I've become? All my friends, all my family, dead and gone for so long. Never being able to make new friends because I can't tell them why I won't age. Always waiting for you," he accused, pointing a finger at Arthur. Merlin was surprised to feel hot, angry tears rolling down his cheeks and he wiped them away hurriedly.

"Oh, Merlin. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." And Merlin thought he'd never seen Arthur look more regretful than he did right then. "I don't know why you have to wait alone, why the rest of us are in Avalon. I can't tell you. Fate is as obscured to me here as it is to you now."

Arthur took a step closer, and placed his hand and Merlin's shoulder. He could barely feel the gesture, it was just a ghost of a touch. Merlin probably imagined it, but he didn't care, it felt reassuring all the same. "But I can tell you this," Arthur started, looking Merlin dead in the eye. "You are, by far, the bravest man I've ever known. To do what you do, Merlin, to do what you've done, takes more courage than any knight of Camelot has ever possessed."

Merlin took the compliment with a smile, commenting instead on Arthur's new knowledge. "How do find out? About what I've done, I mean."

Arthur smiled. "The dead aren't silent, Merlin. Many have told me about the amazing servant and friend I have."

Merlin smiled and let out a short laugh. "All good, I assume?"

Arthur laughed and grinned back. "Mostly. Though Gaius seems to tell me that you left me with the voice of a donkey for quite some time."

"Yeah, well, I just thought everyone should see what a complete ass you could be." Merlin laughed as Arthur made the motion of clipping him across the back of the head.

"Idiot."

"Prat." The both smiled at the familiar banter, and then grew serious once more.

"You can do this, Merlin. I know you can. Consider it time off from work because you bet when I get back you won't be getting any more days off. Deal?"

"Do I even have a choice?"

"No. That's an order. Enjoy yourself and wait. I'll be there before you know it." Arthur turned his head and looked over his shoulder, apparently at something Merlin couldn't see. When he turned back, a sad resignation had filled his eyes. "You better be going, Merlin. I can't stay much longer."

"Right," Merlin nodded, making his way toward the exit of the cave.

"Merlin?" Arthur called out. Merlin turned back to look at his friend. "I'm proud of you."

Merlin smiled. "You too." And then he hurried out of the cave before either of them could say good-bye.

That conversation would be the last one the pair would have for a few hundred years. Time seemed to speed up for Merlin after that. The years flew by faster and technology started to increase tenfold. Soon, he realized that living in a shack in the woods wouldn't cover it anymore and he bought a flat in the city, as close to the lake as possible.

He didn't dare get a job- he didn't have the training or the drive- but instead used magic to support himself and stay away from suspicious eyes. He lived in his flat, alone, keeping away from people and all of their pestering questions.

The nice thing about all of the new technology (Merlin suspected that the sudden drive for all this science was the lack of magic in the world) was that he had things to occupy his time. He read books, watched movies and television, anything he could to keep his mind off of how alone he was.

But he never forgot Camelot and Arthur. Nearly fifteen hundred years later and Merlin would still expect to be waking up in his tower room with Gaius and Arthur waiting to give him chores. And so when he would wake up to an empty flat, he would get up and take a walk by the lake and island. He would never quite glance at it, it hurt too much to see it empty every day, but he would pass close enough to sense the magic radiating from the lake, reminding him who he was.

One day Merlin was sitting in his flat, playing video games and blasting his music like always. He didn't need to worry about annoying his neighbors, sound proofing his room was easy with magic. He was about to cross the finish line in Mario Kart when a knock on the door startled him. He never had visitors. He quickly finished the race and paused the music, making his way toward the door.

There was an uneasy feeling in his stomach and his magic was practically humming in anticipation. He kept it at the ready as he cautiously opened the door.

When he saw who it was, he almost fell down. In fact, his knees buckled a bit out from under him. It was only because the man in front of him caught him that he didn't fall flat on his face. And that's when he realized, this was real. The arms holding him up were solid and real.

"So over a thousand years later, and you're still as clumsy as ever."

"Arthur!" Merlin cried out and reached up to embrace his friend. And for once, the tears he shed were ones of immense joy and relief.

"Don't be such a girl, Merlin," Arthur replied but with a smile on his face and whilehugging his friend in return.

The two stood in the hallway for a while, just ensuring that the other was really there, solid and real. After a few minutes, Merlin pulled back, wiping at his tears with sleeve of his hoodie. "I can't believe you're really here."

"Yeah, well, there's a lot I can't believe either. Like what I'm wearing." Arthur gestured down to the jeans and t-shirt he was standing in.

"Umm, yeah. There's a lot to explain. Come on inside. I'll make you some tea and we can talk."

Arthur nodded and started to walk inside before pausing to ask, "What's tea?" Merlin laughed and tugged his friend inside.

The two talked for the rest of the day, mostly Arthur asking about the strange world he found himself in and Merlin explaining it all. By the end, Arthur was only marginally caught up and still thought Merlin was lying about electricity not being magic.

"So how did you return anyway?" Merlin asked before taking a sip tea. Arthur had taken a liking to it right away and they had already drunk three kettles worth.

"I'm not entirely sure. I was in Avalon one moment, and then there was this weird, tugging and pulling sensation before I landed on the shore. I was in modern clothes and there was this glowing gold path in front of me. I followed it and it led me to your door and here I am." He shrugged.

"So you don't know why you were sent back now?"

Arthur shook his head. "No idea." He cleared his throat and twirled the finger on his left hand before asking, "Is- is Gwen here? Is she coming?"

"I don't know." Arthur's face fell, so Merlin continued hurriedly, "But we'll find her. I promise Arthur, if she's to be found, we'll find her." Arthur nodded but was still looking sorrowfully at his hands. Merlin reached across and grasped his hand in Arthur's. "I promise you."

Arthur looked up and smiled, "Thank you."

"Anytime." Merlin sat back and took a deep breath. "It still can't believe you're here Arthur. Fifteen hundred years…"

"I'm sorry it took so long, Merlin. If it were up to me, I would've been here a long time ago."

"I know it. But you're here now, which is what matters." They sat in silence for a few moments before Merlin stood and stretched. "Well, it's getting late now. We better get ready for bed."

Arthur stood and looked at Merlin expectantly.

"Oh no. No, no, no, you're learning how to dress yourself this time."

Arthur frowned and crossed his arms. "I am the king, Merlin. You are my servant."

"I may be destined to serve you but that doesn't mean I have to be your servant for forever. Come on," he clapped Arthur down the shoulder and started off down the hallway, "I'll show you to your room."

"I have my own room?" Arthur asked as he followed Merlin.

"Um, yeah," Merlin coughed. "I bought a two room flat, you know, just in case. You have clothes too." Merlin grinned sheepishly. At Arthur's bemused expression he sighed in exasperation. "Okay, you try waiting for your best friend as long as I have and then we can talk about how over-prepared I was being."

"Fair enough," Arthur replied, holding up his hands in surrender.

"Good." Merlin walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of sweat pants and an overly large t-shirt. "Here." He tossed them to Arthur, who caught the bundle expertly.

"What are these?"

"Your night clothes. Put them on. I'm going to go shower. Holler if you need anything."

Merlin started to walk past Arthur, but was stopped when Arthur asked, "What's shower?"

Merlin groaned and leaned his head backward. "Can't we go over this tomorrow?"

"Fine. But if you lie to me, I swear I will put you in the stocks so fast that you won't even have time to say clotpole."

Merlin nodded, acting like he was taking Arthur's threat seriously. "Of course, Arthur, anything you say." He left the room and smiled. His best friend was back. And that was enough to make any fifteen hundred year old man smile.

Adjusting Arthur to modern day life was difficult, but not impossible. There were many incidents- one particularly hairy one with the toaster- but for the most part, Arthur was taking everything in stride. But Merlin could tell he was getting restless, cooped up inside the house all day playing video games or watching movies.

So one day, while Arthur was watching telly, Merlin turned off the set and announced that they were going outside.

"I'm not a dog, Merlin," Arthur drawled. "I don't need to be walked."

"Ah, but don't you want to go outside, get some fresh air?"

"Hmm, I suppose a little exercise wouldn't kill me. It'd be nice to start training again."

"Well, you can't train- don't look at me like that, there is no place for you to train- but we could certainly find a sport for you to join." Merlin thought for a second before snapping his finger and declaring, "I know! There are some guys that always start a football game in the park. Remember football? I explained it to you the other day. The one with the black and white ball?"

"Where they kicked it around? I remember," Arthur replied, nodding slowly.

"Then let's go!"

They made their way to the park, pushing through the busy streets. Arthur was a bit uncomfortable with all the people at first, but soon noticed all of the girls that would stare at him. And when he started waving his hand at them, Merlin sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Come on, Arthur. Stop waving at all the girls."

"But the people love me, Merlin." Arthur laughed at Merlin's expression, but thankfully stopped waving.

As they reached the park, Merlin saw that the men were just starting to form teams. He rushed over there, Arthur in tow. They stood on the edge of the circle until someone looked up and noticed them.

"You want to play?" he called out.

"My friend does," Merlin hollered back. "Go on," he encouraged, clapping Arthur on the shoulder.

"Don't you want to play?"

Merlin scrunched up his face and shook his head. "Nah, I tried to play football years ago. I'm absolutely rubbish at it."

"Still a weak sissy then?"

"Call it what you want, butI'll beat you at Mario Kart when we get home. Now go on, they're waiting for you."

Merlin stood on the sidelines with other spectators, cheering for his best friend and shouting out advice when Arthur forgot what he was doing. The king played well, even scoring a goal at one point. Towards the end of the game, however, Arthur paused in the middle of the field, staring at something in the distance.

His back was to Merlin, and Merlin couldn't see what he was looking at. "Arthur?" he called out, but he didn't respond. Rushing out onto the field, Merlin ran to Arthur's side. "Arthur? What is it? What's wrong?"

Instead of answering him, Arthur only pointed. There, sitting on one of the benches in the park, was Gwen. She was looking up, right at Arthur.

"Gwen?" Merlin heard Arthur whisper. "Gwen!" Arthur rushed off the field, not caring that everyone at the game was staring.

Gwen ran to Arthur, rushing into his arms as the two kissed passionately. Merlin let out a bark of incredulous laughter and smiled wide. When people looked at him questioningly, he said, "They haven't seen each other in a long time. True love and all." Everyone nodded and went back to their game as Merlin walked over to his two best friends.

Arthur and Gwen were still locked in a kiss, but Gwen pulled apart from Arthur when she saw Merlin, despite Arthur's protests.

"Merlin!" she exclaimed and embraced him.

"Hello, Gwen. It's good to see you."

"You too." She pulled back and slipped one of her hands into Arthur's.

"So, how are you here?"

"I'm not really sure. I was in Avalon, and then I was on the shore. And then there was this path. It was-"

"-glowing gold?" Arthur guessed.

"Yes!" Gwen exclaimed. "Did the same thing happen to you when you got here?"

"The very same."

Gwen turned back to Merlin. "Did you do that?"

Merlin shook his head. "I don't know what that means. Must be fate. Come on, you can come back to our flat. We'll have some tea and chat."

Gwen smiled and let Arthur lead her along, happy to be back at her husband's side in the flesh. Merlin pretended not to hear them- for privacy's sake- but he couldn't help but smile at their whispered words of endearment to each other.

Merlin and Arthur taught Gwen about the modern world, and they quickly found out that Gwen was much better at adapting to it than Arthur had been, a fact which Merlin wouldn't stop teasing him about.

"She even figured out what the sink was without us telling her!"

"Shut up, Merlin."

Later that night, when Gwen and Arthur started snogging on the couch, Merlin excused himself and walked around the town. Surprisingly, he found himself down by the lake and wondering about what the future would bring now. Since Gwen had appeared, did that mean other people would too? Merlin sighed as he thought about what it would mean if Morgana was destined to join them here. He wouldn't like it, but he would protect Arthur and Gwen with all that he had. He really hoped Mordred wouldn't come along as well.

By the time he returned to the flat, Arthur and Gwen were asleep on the couch, curled up in each other's arms. Merlin smiled at the couple and found a spare blanket to wrap around them. He was happy for them; he always had been and always would be.

He just assumed Freya was not going to be coming through the lake anytime soon. He sighed at the thought of his long ago crush and smiled at the memory of her. He went into his own room and fell asleep with thoughts of love on his mind.

The next day brought a surprise none of them were really ready for. Gwen and Arthur were going to go on a date, something Merlin had told them about. They were going to the restaurant right next to the flat and then they were going to for a walk in the park. Merlin and Gwen had gone shopping for new clothes for her earlier that day and she was currently dressed in a light blue sundress, complete with white lace and little white flowers on the fabric.

"Wow," Arthur breathed when she came out of the room the pair was sharing for now. "You're beautiful."

"You don't look so bad yourself." Arthur was wearing a red polo- the color of Camelot, he had declared proudly- and a nice pair of jeans Merlin had picked out.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Must be the food I ordered," Merlin declared, getting up to answer the door. But when he opened it, it was most definitely not a delivery person standing in front of him. He stared at the face of his real first crush. The last time he had seen her, he had killed her.

"Hello, Merlin," Morgana said before slapping him in the face.

"Ah! What was that for?" Merlin questioned, pouting and rubbing his already bruising cheek.

"Lying to me about your magic." Then she slapped him again. "And for poisoning me." One more slap, harder than the rest. "And for killing me." Merlin stood, stunned, before Morgana laughed. It wasn't a cruel laughter, but instead like the laugh Merlin had first fallen for when he'd met Morgana. "Call it even?" she asked with mirth in her eyes.

"Y-you," Merlin spluttered, unsure what to do with this Morgana. "If you hurt Arthur or Gwen, I swear…"

"Oh, come on, Merlin. You used to know me better than that. Nothing without reason," Morgana claimed, shoving her way inside. She and Gwen embraced, leaving Merlin to stare and gape. Arthur walked over to his friend and clapped him on the back.

"Close your mouth, Merlin, you look ridiculous." Merlin did as he was told, but turned to Arthur and arched an eyebrow in questioning.

"Care to explain?"

"You didn't really think she would still be bitter did you? Sure, for the first few hundred years she was convinced we were still evil, but she came around. Really lovely the next thousand." Arthur looked at his half-sister and smiled. "It's been good having the old her back, you know? I've missed her."

"Yeah, me too," Merlin agreed. Then he turned to Arthur in accusation. "You could have told me! I've been worrying that I was going to have to stop her from killing you all over again!"

"Yeah, but it was worth it to see the look on your face. Plus, Morgana slapping you was great fun." Arthur moved away from the stunned expression of his friend and walked up to Morgana, giving her a big hug. Gwen came over to Merlin, placing a hand on his arm.

"Merlin? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine. It's just that for so long, Morgana's been my enemy."

Gwen sighed and smiled. "I know it's going to take some getting used to. We've all had a long time to think about it and adjust. But you'll have plenty of time tonight to get to know each other again."

Merlin turned with a curious expression on his face to Gwen. "Wait, are you two still going out?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't we?"

Merlin's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Because Morgana just got here."

"And I just got my husband back. I'm not going to miss an opportunity to spend some alone time with him. You'll be fine, I promise." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and moved to take Arthur's hand. "See you two later!" she called out as they left the two magic users alone.

Clearing his throat, Merlin turned to Morgana and shifted on his feet awkwardly. "So, do you want to watch a movie?"

"What's a movie?"

Merlin sighed as he prepared to give the speech all over again.

He eventually explained enough that they could start the movie, although Morgana still had lots of questions. They were watching The Princess Bride, partly because it was one of Merlin's favorites and partly because it would bring up less questions from Morgana about the setting, and were about fifteen minutes in when Merlin felt Morgana's hand first brush, then settle on top of his own.

He fought against the blush creeping into his cheeks, but he couldn't help it. For so long, he had pictured this moment. He'd always thought Morgana was beautiful, and there had always been a strong energy between them. Hell, even when they were on opposing side there was an attraction between them.

Taking a deep breath, Merlin flipped his hand over and interlocked their fingers together. Morgana moved in response, snuggling closer to him and leaning her head on his shoulder, very close to his heart.

They sat there for the rest of the movie, both pretending to watch it but really being hyper aware of the person next to them in the dark. At the end, when Princess Buttercup and Wesley were sharing their final kiss, the couple sitting on the couch moved.

Morgana lifted her head up and Merlin turned towards her, their lips mere inches apart. And suddenly, they were kissing. Not an innocent, peck on the lips, but a passion filled collision. All of the tension, the good and the bad, that had been building up over the years was poured into that kiss. And neither of them seemed like they really wanted to stop it.

Merlin embedded his fingers into Morgana's dark locks, pulling her in closer. She responded in kind, pushing him down onto the couch and lying on top of them. Just then, Merlin heard the door knob rattle and the sound of the key turning the lock.

Moving quickly, the couple sprang apart to opposite ends of the couch and tried to act as if they had not just been making out.

However, the facial expressions of their best friends told them that they had been caught for sure. Merlin looked over at Morgana and realized her hair was a mess as well as her face being flushed. He was sure he looked much the same.

"Merlin. May I speak with you in private?" Arthur asked in an all-too-calm tone, making Merlin cringe before plastering a smile on and turning to his friend.

"What about?" he asked, feigning innocence.

"You know what," Arthur shot back, grabbing Merlin by the ear and dragging him up off the couch.

"Ow, ow, ow! Okay, okay. I'm coming." Merlin followed Arthur out of the room, rubbing at his ear and glaring daggers at the back of Arthur's head.

They went into Arthur's room and Arthur shut the door behind him before turning to face Merlin. "Were you just snogging my sister?"

Uh-oh. Merlin looked for some way out of his current situation. "Hey! You used the word snogging! Good job." Merlin plastered a fake smile on his face.

"Don't try and change the subject, _Mer_lin; you were just kissing my sister."

"Well, technically, _half_-sister…"

"Merlin!"

"Okay, okay," Merlin said in surrender, holding up his hands. "I was." He looked down and tried to figure out how to explain to Arthur- explain to himself- what had just happened. "We were watching a movie, and then we were holding hands. She put her head on my shoulder, and we sat like that for the movie and then, I don't know. The characters kissed and I just felt this- this shift inside of me. Like all of the times I've thought of her- the good times and the bad- came flooding back to me, and I realized that I wanted her more than anyone else. That I loved her."

Merlin clicked his mouth shut at the realization of what he had just said. He loved Morgana? The words didn't sound as foreign as he thought they would. Hesitantly, Merlin looked up to see what Arthur thought about all of this.

He nearly punched him when he saw the smile on Arthur's face. "What?" he demanded to know.

"We so called it."

"Called what?"

"Gwen and I were talking about how you two would be kissing before we came back. I thought you'd at least have your hoodie off, but you've always been slow to act."

"Arthur!" Merlin stood up and felt mortification as a blush crossed his cheeks. But Arthur only chortled and ruffled Merlin's hair.

"Then again, Gwen and I have been talking about it for a long time. You're still getting used to it."

"Yeah, it's really great to have everyone else know more about your own life than you do," Merlin grumbled.

Arthur laughed and commented, "It's good to see you happy again."

"Is this the face of a happy man?" Merlin asked, pointing to his red, embarrassed face. And then confusion crossed his expression. "Wait, what do you mean again?"

Arthur sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, we didn't want to tell you right away, okay? In fact, Gwen didn't think we should tell you at all, but we could- could see you over the years."

Merlin scrunched his eyebrows together. "See me?" He sat down on Arthur's bed and the king sat next to him. "How?"

"Well, sometimes, we could see the world of the living. Not all the time, but if you were doing something special or important- something affecting destinies mostly- we could glimpse you. I assume it's the same way my mother and father said they could see me when I talked to them."

"Oh," Merlin looked down as he tried to think through all of what Arthur would have seen. "So… what did you see?"

"Not too much. You helping some people, offering my castle up as a school for sorcerers."

Now it was Merlin's turn to rub the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"It's okay. It wasn't the worst I saw." Heavy silence filled the space between the two of them. They both sat in awkward silence for a few moments, thinking of all the times Merlin had jumped into the lake or something similar.

Suddenly, Merlin felt strong arms wrap around his chest and he was pulled into a hug. "I'm glad you're here now," Arthur confessed. "It was awful to watch you… For you, you were always so stinking optimistic… I'm just sorry I couldn't be there."

They sat there for a few moments longer, letting the silence say what couldn't be expressed with words, pulling apart when there was a knock on the door.

"Arthur? Merlin?" Gwen called through the door. "Everything alright in there?"

"Fine," Arthur called back. And though Merlin knew Arthur would deny it, he saw tear tracks on the king's cheeks. Arthur stood and opened the door to the concerned face of Gwen. "We were just talking, nothing to worry about," he assured with a smile.

"I hope that's all it was," she replied with quirked eyebrows. "Morgana and I made some tea, if you two want to join us."

"Sounds great," Merlin responded, standing up. "And see Arthur, I told you tea wasn't difficult to make. Gwen figured it out in a day."

"She also used to be a servant," Arthur stated defensively but quickly started to backtrack when Gwen crossed her arms. "I mean- not that- oh, just forget it," Arthur finished, leaving the room before he stuck his foot in his mouth even more.

Merlin sidled up to Gwen at the doorway and smirked. "You're not really mad at him, are you?"

"No but it's more fun this way, don't you think?" Gwen replied with a wink. They laughed and made their way to the kitchen.

One morning, about a week after Arthur's arrival, Merlin ran in to Arthur's room, waking the blonde up earlier than normal.

"Get out, Merlin. It's not even dawn yet."

"But Arthur," Merlin shook his friend, "Arthur, look!" Arthur begrudgingly did as he was told and opened his eyes to see Merlin standing by his bed, grinning like an idiot.

"What?" Arthur deadpanned.

"Look!" Merlin exclaimed, pointing to his chin where dark hairs were growing in.

"So you have to start shaving, I knew you'd grow up eventually," Arthur retorted, rolling back over.

"You don't get it, do you?" Merlin was growing exasperated. "It means I'm aging again!"

"That's great. Really. Awesome. Now get out." Rolling his eyes, Merlin left the room but quickly began grinning again. Things really were starting to change.

The four friends were sitting in Merlin and Arthur's flat- Morgana and Gwen had moved in next door since the previous occupants had suddenly felt the desire to move across town- and were watching the telly when Arthur and Gwen made an announcement.

"We're getting married," Gwen said with a smile from her place next to Arthur.

"You mean I have to sit through another wedding ceremony?" Merlin complained. The next second he was dodging the remote Arthur sent flying his way.

"Yes, Merlin, you will."

"Well I think it's wonderful," Morgana declared. "I wasn't there for you two the first time, and I'm sorry about that."

"That's alright," Gwen assured with a warm smile. "And _I_ know you're only kidding, Merlin."

"Of course I am," Merlin replied with a cheeky grin, "I'm happy for you two."

"And we have some more good news," Arthur announced, "We've been trying to brush up on modern weddings, and we want you two to be the, what are they called again?" he asked Gwen.

"The maid of honor and the best man."

"Right, those people."

Merlin smiled wide. "Really?"

"What does that mean?" Morgana questioned.

"It means we help them plan the wedding and get to stand up there with them at the ceremony. They're positions that the people closest to the couple get appointed to," Merlin turned to the pair and smiled. "That means a lot."

"Well, we do need your modern day knowledge," Arthur commented off-handedly and grinned when Gwen slapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"We're thankful for both of you. Even if he'll never admit it," Gwen amended, smiling teasingly at her husband.

The next few months were spent planning the wedding, one Arthur insisted needed to be as extravagant as possible though Gwen picked out most of the details. During that time, the Knights of the Round Table started to join them one-by-one. Soon, Merlin had the entire floor of their apartment building moving out and making room for his friends.

Percival and Elyan shared a flat, while Leon and Lancelot shared another. Gwaine moved between the two, and sometimes even crashed in Merlin and Arthur's place depending on which door he walked into during his drunken state. Gwaine took an instant liking to the modern world- especially when he heard about beer- but some of the other knights were more hesitant to join the new age, especially Leon.

He was very traditional and refused to eat or drink anything too modern, sticking to water instead of the soda everyone else seemed to enjoy, though Gwaine insisted Pop-Tarts were the best thing he'd ever eaten.

However, all the knights enjoyed modern day sports. Every morning they would go for a jog in the park (their new version of training) and would play football on the weekends.

After Lancelot arrived, no one new emerged from the lake. Arthur, Gwen, Merlin and Morgana were sitting on the shore one night, staring out to the island and tower they all knew was there.

"Do you think any more are coming?" Morgana asked, voicing what they were all thinking.

"I don't know," Merlin replied. There were all people they were hoping would come through, and others that they were praying would never enter this world.

"Maybe they had to live on in the legends. You know, like people talk about now," Gwen commented. "Merlin, who is always mentioned in the legends that isn't here yet?"

Merlin shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Mordred? Sometimes Morgause, but not always. Tristan and Isolde. But that's the thing, sometimes Tristan is mentioned, but not Leon. Other times, Morgana but not Morgause." He interlaced his fingers with Morgana's and sighed. "I wish I knew. And I wish I knew why you guys are here now. What danger is Albion in?"

Now it was Arthur's turn to sigh, "I wish I knew that as well. While we might be having fun now, it can't last forever. Something's going to change, and soon."

"I won't change again," Morgana's determined voice broke through the night. "I won't, no matter what. I promise you," she declared while looking Merlin dead in the eyes.

"I won't let you." He leaned in and kissed her softly.

"Oh, disgusting," Arthur commented from the other side of Merlin.

Merlin pulled back from Morgana, winked to her, and then flashed his eyes gold, causing sand to fly up and cover Arthur.

"Merlin!" he shouted.

Merlin turned to his friend and feigned shock. "Must have been a gust of wind." But he wasn't all that surprised when Arthur leaned over and knuckled his head roughly.

They all laughed- sans Merlin, who was rubbing his head ruefully- when a humming noise cut through the night air.

Instantly, Merlin and Morgana were standing, feeling the magical energy emanating from the lake. "You feel it too?" Merlin asked Morgana. She nodded, fear and caution showing in her eyes, but also a strange determination.

"Feel what?" Arthur demanded to know.

"Magic," Merlin replied. "It's coming from the lake." Suddenly, something bright and flashing soared across the lake, heading directly for the group. "Look out!" Merlin shouted, and they all dived to the side, out of the way of the projectile. They heard the object land with a resounding clang and turned to see what the Lake of Avalon had gifted them with.

There, stuck in the sand, was Excalibur.

They all paused, staring at the sword with awe and fear. "What does it mean?" Arthur asked aloud, meeting Merlin's eyes from the other side of the sword.

"I don't know,' Merlin whispered. Strutting toward the sword, Arthur pulled it carefully out of the ground.

"I'd say it means nothing, but I think I've ignored omens for too long. Don't you think, Merlin?" Merlin only nodded his head, a feeling of dread pooling in his stomach. He hoped that it meant nothing.

After Excalibur landed on the shore, the friends didn't stick around for long. They headed back to their respective flats, preparing for the wedding that was to occur in a few days' time.

They held the ceremony in a small church, but it still looked empty with only the knights in attendance. It didn't matter to Arthur and Gwen though; they'd shared their first wedding with an entire kingdom. This one was going to be private, special.

"Nervous?" Merlin asked as he adjusted Arthur's red tie before the ceremony. All of the men had rented black tuxes, but they were all wearing red or gold ties for Camelot.

"Hardly," Arthur scoffed. But then he admitted, "A little."

"Don't be. You and Gwen will be fine. Plus, it's not like you haven't done this before."

"I know we will. I just can't help but think about what happened the, uh, the last time we did this. I left her all alone. I don't want to fail her like that again."

Merlin looked at Arthur seriously and promised, "You won't. We won't let that happen again, I promise. I won't fail you twice."

Arthur turned and smiled at his friend. "I know you won't, Merlin. Thank you."

Merlin nodded and checked his watch. "Come on, we better get going. Don't want to be late to your own wedding, do you?"

Later that day, Merlin walked Morgana down the aisle. She looked gorgeous, her deep red dress shimmering with gold fabric like fire. After the ceremony, Arthur and Gwen would be moving in together, and Morgana would be taking Arthur's vacated room. The thought both terrified and thrilled Merlin. He'd never lived with a woman before- other than his mother- but he did like the idea of being able to see Morgana at any time during the day.

As they reached the front of the church where Arthur was standing, they parted ways, though not without Morgana winking at Merlin first. He smiled and moved to take his place beside Arthur, looking out over the church. It was decorated with red and gold flowers and fabric, any decorations Gwen and Morgana could find that reminded them of Camelot. Even the church they'd picked out had a distinct medieval feel with vaulted ceilings and stained glass lining the walls.

When the organ player started playing the wedding march, the double doors in the back of the church opened to reveal Gwen with Elyan standing beside her. Merlin gasped when he saw Gwen in her dress for the first time. The white contrasted beautifully with her dark skin. The gown was full, but not obnoxious and it clung to the upper half of her body tightly. The dress left a square neckline open and her sleeves were long and open at the end. Morgana had told Merlin earlier that the lady at the dress store commented that it was an interesting pick, very medieval. The girls had barely contained their laughter.

Merlin turned to see what Arthur thought of the dress and grinned when he saw the wide smile on his friend's face and the shiny eyes that no amount of blinking made go away.

Gwen and Elyan started their way down the aisle, the knights standing on either side and smiling brightly as their queen made her way to the king.

When they finally made their way to where Arthur, Merlin, and Morgana stood, Elyan kissed Gwen's hand and gave it to Arthur, who led Gwen up to the altar and priest.

Merlin watched the ceremony with wet eyes and a wide smile on his face. Everything was going right for once and he couldn't help but grin wider when he caught Morgana's eyes for a second during the ceremony.

They still didn't know why they were there, or what danger Albion was in. They didn't know what they would have to face tomorrow or what their destinies were now. But Merlin found that that didn't matter so much. What mattered was that he and his friends were together at last, and were ready for anything they might come across. Together.

* * *

_**A/N-** I hope you all enjoyed this and that it helped with post finale feels._

_Leave your thoughts!_

**-princessmelia**


End file.
